1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an orientation equipment in a surface mount technology (SMT), and particularly relates to an orientation equipment with multiple PCBs, used with surface mount technology (SMT).
2. Description of Related Art
As a common sense in the relative electronic industries, a mass production capacity of a SMT line is a topic for each PCB manufacturer and ODM. For example, a high-speed feeder, adjustable ability among different production lines, frequency of a revenue maintenance, or an improvement of the PCB processing, could ameliorate the mass production capacity in the SMT line to save cost and time. These reasons are of interest because the high-speed feeder can prevent wastes of time from a plurality of minor components arranged on the PCB. If the frequency of the revenue maintenance of the equipment can be prolonged due to the improvement of the mechanical function, the mass production capacity is increased and costs are reduced. As far as the equipment is concerned, a process improvement is a major undertaking; the SMT equipment is so precise that any change is expensive. An improvement of a periphery process adopted for the SMT equipment is cheaper and more effective.
A need for the periphery improvement of a conventional assembly of a PCB with double side arrangements, like a PCB in a cell phone, a digital camera, a laptop, a video card or a sound card, is increasing. The double-sided PCB needs more components and steps, and the characteristic of the equipment and the cost of the labor are the top improvements nowadays.
First, with respect to FIG. 1, a conventional PCB assembly line shows a double-sided PCB that may have- different arrangements on the double sides thereof. A SMT process includes a first solder printing machine, top surface SMT equipment, a multi-function machine with the top surface SMT, a first reflow oven, a side-turning machine, a second solder printing machine, a reverse side surface SMT equipment and a second reflow oven, in sequence. The time of before the PCB is processed with the side-turning machine is different from that of after the PCB is processed with the side-turning machine, which makes the process influent. An IC that belongs to large components usually is disposed on a top side of the PCB and a large quantity of small components often is disposed on the reverse side of the PCB. The conventional SMT line is difficult to change to comply with the various products.
Second, a SMT line is a visual position and continues production line and losses of visual recognitions and intermediate station exchanges are inevitable. If quantities of PCBs can be in contact with a carrier, the frequency of the visual recognitions and intermediate station exchanges may be diminished to merely one time. A labor can be saved and manufacturing efficiency can be increased.
Third, the SMT equipment alternates the programs according to various PCBs, which wastes time and may involve errors. If quantities of PCBs can be in contact with a carrier as a big size PCB with only one specific program, the frequency of program changes may be diminished to save labor, and the manufacture efficiency increases thereby.
Fourth, to match a special configuration of a device, the PCB may usually be designed as a polygon; but most of the SMT equipments only allow a rectangular PCB. Thus, the rectangular PCB will be further sliced after the SMT process, wasting time and money. If the PCBs can be sliced in advance and arranged on a carrier to start the SMT process, money is saved and the manufacturing efficiency can be increased.
Furthermore, an effective process should have a carrier with a plurality of PCBs arranged with components in advance before a SMT process, and further has the PCBs assembled with double sides simultaneously. Orientation structures on the carrier thus must resist a high temperature in the reflow process. Although the heat-durable orientation structures can be manufactured, mass production thereof is difficult due to complexity and automation.
The descriptions mentioned above indicate a carrier adopted for a plurality of PCBs can save labor. The PCB can be a thin board or a flexible board.
A heat-resist adhesive of a new development that withstands high temperature and will not harden during the reflow process can be used with an auxiliary machine and provide an excellent advantage.
Hence, an improvement over the prior art is required to overcome the disadvantages thereof.